The  Mencius  is a collection of sayings of the namesake philosopher, compiled by Mencius and his disciples in the mid-Warring States Period (475–221 BC). The existing version features a form similar to that of the  Analects of Confucius . It has seven chapters, each composed of two sections. According to the  Treatise on Literature  in the  Chronicles of the Han Dynasty , the original book had eleven chapters: apart from the existing seven, there were four supplementary chapters. Although the  Mencius  is basically a book of quotations, it shows substantial improvements over the  Analects of Confucius . Its chapters are longer with more argumentative content. Many of the paragraphs center on specific ideas, and have complete structures and coherent logic. Its literary value is among the highest of all the philosophical works in the pre-Qin period. It is strong in emotion, explicit in opinion, fluent in language, and adept in argumentation. Mencius' preference for parallel sentences added impressive eloquence and a strong appeal to the classic. Meanwhile, the book is a perfect combination of emotion and rationality. It is good at demonstrating theories with metaphors, similes, fables, and other vivid techniques and at employing literary approaches to achieve practical goals. All these characteristics have greatly influenced later essayists, especially the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties.